Haryana shuts down 666 unlicenced meat shops

Following the Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar's May 1 orders on closure of illegal slaughterhouses and meat shops in the state, 666 outlets in the state have been shut down, with Gurugram accounting for the highest number, at 550.TNN | May 23, 2017, 17:48 IST

CHANDGIGARH: Following the Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar's May 1 orders on closure of illegal slaughterhouses and meat shops in the state, 666 outlets in the state have been shut down, with Gurugram accounting for the highest number, at 550.

In March, soon after taking over the reins, UP CM Yogi Adityanath had ordered a crackdown on unlicenced meat shops and slaughterhouses in the state. In May , Khattar had followed suit, directing that notices be issued to all unauthorised meat shops and slaughterhouses to follow rules and apply for licences.

All the 550 meat shops and slaughterhouses in the `Millennium City' Gurugram were found to be unauthorized by the authorities. Thirtyeight meat shops were closed down in Hansi, 18 in Charkhi Dadri, 15 in Yamunanagar, 10 each in Panchkula and Barwala. The urban local bodies department is yet to receive data from Mewat and Nuh. Though the Haryana Municipal Corporation (Regulation of Slaughter Houses) Byelaws, 2008, and Haryana Municipal Corporation (Control on Import of Meat) Byelaws, 2008, were in place for the past eight years, most meat shops and slaughterhouses were running without licences.

“We are yet to receive updated data from all 81municipal bodies, but as now out of the total 1,219 meat shops and slaughterhouses in the state, 666 have been closed,“ said a senior officer of urban local bodies department. “We will issue licences to all meat shops and slaughterhouses that fulfill our conditions. We have nothing against sale or consumption of meat but want hygiene to be maintained,“ he added.

Haryana urban local bodies department had directed all municipal bodies to curb operations of all illegal slaughterhouses and regulate sale of meat and meat products. As per the instructions issued on May 1, no person can sell meat and operate a slaughterhouse in the municipal area without a municipal body granting licence.To get a licence, meat shops are to fulfill 21 conditions including premises of meat shops not being used for slaughtering animals, which should be carried out at a place designated by the municipal body .